13 Spanish companies confirm their commitment to sustainable tourism

Published on : Wednesday, September 21, 2016

The Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs), which include tourism as an effective tool in the three pillars of sustainable development—economic, social and environmental—constitute the new global agenda for a more just and equal world that, at the same time, conserves natural resources.

The involvement of the private sector in this process is essential and has been identified as key to the implementation of the new 2030 Agenda.

“We are witnessing a key moment to consolidate tourism that is more sustainable and more respectful of the environment and local cultures, because in a few months we will launch the International Year of Sustainable Tourism for Development 2017, an unprecedented milestone in which the involvement and commitment of the private sector becomes an essential component,” said the Secretary-General of the World Tourism Organization, Taleb Rifai.

The involvement of the 13 Spanish companies in the agreement between the World Tourism Organization and the Global Compact Network Spain consists in the implementation of a series of initiatives relative to corporate social responsibility that will be chronicled on a dedicated website, featuring an e-publication, testimonial videos and compilations of good practices. Furthermore, the chief executives of these companies have signed letters of commitment to the principles of the Global Code of Ethics for Tourism and the 10 principles of the Global Compact, which address areas such as quality jobs, the local impact of business operations, innovation, education, human rights and health.

“This initiative is pioneering not only because of the involvement of the private sector in the 2030 Agenda, but also because of the need to involve key stakeholders of the sector in achieving responsible and sustainable tourism. Taking on a challenge of these characteristics in the third most visited country in the world offers interesting possibilities for the replication of this project at the global scale,” said Ángel Pes, President of the Global Compact Network Spain.